Production of angkak through co-culture of Monascus purpureus and Monascus ruber

Prasad Faculty of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Laboratory) Panda, BibhuFaculty of Science Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory) Javed, SaleemFaculty of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Laboratory) Ali, Mohd

Angkak (red mold rice, red yeast rice, Chinese red rice) is a traditional Chinese medicine produced by solid-state fermentation of cooked non-glutinous rice with Monascus species. The secondary metabolite of Monascus species, monacolin K /lovastatin, has been proven to lower blood lipid levels. In this study, a co-culture of Monascus purpureus MTCC 369 and Monascus ruber MTCC 1880 was used for angkak production. Four medium parameters screened by Plackett-Burman design were optimized by response surface methodology for highest lovastatin production in angkak during solid-state fermentation by the co-culture. Maximum lovastatin production of 2.84 mg g-1 was predicted in solid medium containing 20 g rice and 40 ml liquid nutrients medium (malt extract 9.68 g l-1, dextrose 38.90 g l-1, MnSO4.H2O 1.96 g l-1, and MgSO4.7H2O 0.730 g l-1) by point prediction tool of Design Expert 7.1 software (Statease Inc. USA).

1. Monascus ruber
2. Angkak. Co-culture
3. Monascus purpureus
4. Response surface methodology
5. Lovastatin